Even amid the flat plains of western Kansas, Mel Madorin has seen every scenario.

Amy Bickel - The Hutchinson News - abickel@hutchnews.com

Saturday

Nov 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMNov 29, 2008 at 5:00 PM

Deer shot, the antlers or heads cut from the body and the carcasses left to rot. Spotlighters trying to secure a big rack at night. Road hunters shooting at a deer decoy, only to be taken by surprise when they realize it is a setup.

These scenarios happen through the fall as buck fever looms and the chance for a big rack seems at grasp. In addition, with Wednesday's rifle deer season approaching, wildlife law enforcement will be taking to the roads, the planes, as well as other means, to make sure Kansans are abiding by the law.

"It seems like in deer season, we see more violations," said Madorin, a captain based in the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park's Hays office, which covers the western half of the state.

He added buck fever might be one of the reasons for a hunter's disobedient ways. They also like the thrill of the chase, the lure of money for a big rack or to rebel against wildlife laws.

Sometimes landowners are the ones who catch the illegal activity and report it. Other times, Madorin said, officers stake out high poaching areas, use a deer decoy to lure poachers as well as monitor by plane.

A couple hundred thousand hunters take to Kansas fields each fall, whether it is deer hunting or searching for pheasants. The number of violations seems small compared to those numbers, with just 8,195 violators for all hunting seasons in the past five years and 1,543 people receiving violations in 2007, according to information from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Granted, there may be more violations that wildlife officials didn't catch.

"We can't keep track of everything, but we try," Madorin said.

Violation statistics seem to stay steady over the years, said Kevin Jones, KDWP's director of law enforcement, meaning the department is either performing at an optimum or "who knows how big the problem really is."

According to KDWP, some studies estimate poachers may kill almost as many animals and fish as legal hunters take during legal seasons. Even if the loss to poachers is half the number in the estimates, the problem is serious.

Jones said hunters have violations for everything from hunting without a license and having an unplugged shotgun to failing to tag a deer and hunting out of season.

Topping the list of violations is hunting without a license, with 859 violations since 2003, Jones said. Other top issues includes not wearing hunter orange, with 492 violations since 2003 and failing to tag a deer, with 605 violations.

Criminal trespass on property also is high on the list violation, with 532 since 2003, he said.

Over the five-year period, hunters have paid $951,172 in wildlife violation fines, according to a KDWP document.

Even in 2008, the poaching has begun, Madorin said.

Two weeks ago, in Republic County, one of his officers received maybe one of the oddest calls in a while - a call from a man who was part of a group of hunters on foot, chasing another hunter who was carrying a deer head.

As the story goes, the out-of-state hunting group happened upon a man while in the field.

"They just stumbled upon him," he said. "They were out there and this guy was carrying a deer head across an open field."

The man fled, and the hunters began the chase. The officer was able to get to the location in time to stop the alleged poacher.

"The deer had been shot illegally and (the man) was charged with it," Madorin said.

Operation Game Thief

There are never enough Conservation Officers to cover the entire state of Kansas all day every day. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks relies on others to help report hunting violations.

To report a violation, residents can go online to www.kdwp.state.ks.us or call (877) 426-3843. Callers do not have to reveal their names or testify in court.

***

Statistics

Here are a few of the 2007 statistics and numbers from the past five years

* Exceed bag/possession limit, deer: 2007, 7; since 2003, 54.

* Fail to tag deer: 2007, 94; since 2003, 391.

* Hunting in closed season for deer: 2007, 28; since 2003, 178.

* Hunt with artificial light illegally: 2007, 45; since 2003, 269.

* Hunt with aid of vehicle, all game: 2007, 83; since 2003, 457.

* Illegal ammo/rifle with artificial light: 2007, 4; since 2003, 33.

* Possess untagged deer carcass: 2007, 71; since 2003, 358.

* Wanton waste on all wildlife: since 2003, 122.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.